Project Goal

"The Ice Maiden was discovered by chance, it had its own kind of drama. It was an incredible adventure and I knew it was going to be an important discovery right at the time of finding it."

Johan Reinhard’s 1995 discovery of the 500-year-old Inca “Ice Maiden” could easily have been the apex of his life. One of the best-preserved bodies from pre-Columbian times thrilled millions worldwide, unleashing a wealth of knowledge. Yet the high-altitude cultural anthropologist and archaeologist was not satisfied with this achievement. He was convinced that better-preserved mummies were yet to be found on remote Andean mountain-tops. And, as the looting of ancient sites became a global business, he was determined to rescue and preserve the heritage of the Andean people.